It has heretofore been proposed to provide a solar heat exchanger panel angularly disposed to the ground with one side wall facing the sun, the upper end connected to a swimming pool pump and the lower end discharging heated water into the swimming pool as in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,146,774 to Yellott of 1964, and 3,991,742 to Gerber of 1976.
The Gerber flexible sheet panels lie on the roof of a building and thus are not self supporting in upstanding position at ground, or pool water, level, capable of serving as a fence around the pool.
Similarly in U.S. Pat. No. 3,200,820 to Garrett of 1965, an umbrella type, hollow, dished panel is supported, by a central post, at an angle to the ground, the outer periphery being fed from a swimming pool pump and the central, lower portion discharging into a swimming pool. The incoming pressure in this device is stated to be eight to sixteen psi with a flow of approximately six gallons per minute and a water layer depth of about 1/8 inch.
The Gerber patent teaches a minimum flow rate of 300 gallons per hour, and gravity flow down the panels.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,599,626 to Bouse of 1971, the pool water never is heated in a panel but is heated in a coil immersed in a solar heated tank.